Veronica plant named ‘Alllady’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Alllady’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely flowering habit; compact and dense inflorescences with numerous white-colored flowers; long flowering period; and potential to be used as a cut flower or as a container plant.

Botanical designation: Veronica longifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALLLADY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronicaplant, botanically known as Veronica longifolia and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Alllady’.

The new Veronica plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Cuijk, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new attractive Veronica plants thatcan be used as either a cut flower or as a container plant.

The new Veronica plant originated from an open-pollination in September,2007 of a proprietary selection of Veronica longifolia identified ascode number N6-28, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with anunknown selection of Veronica longifolia as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Veronica plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedopen-pollination in a controlled environment in Cuijk, The Netherlandsin August, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica plant by vegetative cuttings ina controlled environment in Cuijk, The Netherlands, since September,2009, has shown that the unique features of this new Veronica plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Veronica have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Alllady’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Alllady’ as a new and distinct Veronica plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely flowering habit.    -   3. Compact and dense inflorescences with numerous white-colored        flowers.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Can be used as a cut flower or as a container plant.

Plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica are more compact than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Veronica are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Veronica can be compared to plants of Veronicalongifolia ‘Alllove’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,478. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Cuijk, The Netherlands, plants ofthe new Veronica differed primarily from plants of ‘Alllove’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica had narrower leaves than plants of        ‘Alllove’.    -   2. Plants of the new Veronica and ‘Alllove’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘Alllove’ had red purple-colored flowers.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Veronica did not develop stamens        whereas flower of plants of ‘Alllove’ developed stamens.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the Veronica plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Veronica plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Alllady’ grown in a 13-cm container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Alllady’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical leafof ‘Alllady’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown during the spring and early summer in an outdoor nursery inCuijk, The Netherlands and under environmental conditions and culturalpractices which closely approximate commercial production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 28° C.and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to averaged 18° C. Plants were14 months old when the photographs and the description were taken. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica longifolia ‘Alllady’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Veronica            longifolia identified as code number N6-28, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Veronica            longifolia, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 12° C. to 30°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 24 to 32 days at            12° C. to 30° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright inverted triangle; freely            basal branching habit with about 20 main stems; moderately            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 59 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 53.5 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 46.6 cm. Diameter:            About 5 mm. Internode length: About 4.9 cm. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 8.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Mostly smooth and glabrous however,            along main vein, sparsely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A to            137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A to N137B;            venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Between 138B and 146B; venation, close to 144B.        -   Petiole length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 2 mm by 2.5 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single campanulate flowers            arranged on primary and secondary terminal racemes; racemes            compact and dense; flowers face mostly outwardly.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering, each terminal branch has            one primary raceme and about nine secondary racemes; about            235 flowers per primary inflorescence and about 140 flowers            per secondary inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about seven            weeks after pinching; flowering continuous from July to late            September in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to NN155D; calyx, close to            137C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 9.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Flower height.—About 6 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About four in a single            whorl, petals fused about 50% of the length from the base.            Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:            Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Mostly            smooth and glabrous; towards the base, moderately pubescent.            Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About four in a single            whorl, sepals fused about 5% of the length from the base.            Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144A to 144B. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144A to 144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 14.9 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Aspect: Primary racemes, mostly upright; secondary racemes,            about 25° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 143B to 143C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Aspect: About 60° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen development has not            been observed on plants of the new Veronica. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma            shape: Clavate. Stigma color: Close to 145D. Style length:            About 2.7 mm. Style color: Close to 157A. Ovary color: Close            to 143B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed on plants of the new Veronica.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Veronica have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Veronica.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Veronica have exhibited good    garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind, high    temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone    4.

1. A new and distinct Veronica plant named ‘Alllady’ as illustrated anddescribed.